CARBON FRAME CHAINSTAY CHAINSUCK DAMAGE...

JamesB

I`ve just given my Giant XTC Aluxx / carbon rear triangle frame a thorough good cleaning and have noticed that on teh RHS chain drive side there is some damage to the carbon layers ie chipped along the main chainsaty, and slight gouges into teh main section just at the point of the `bend` approx small chainring position; reason for concern??? or will the carbon wrap layers be thick enough in these critical areas ?? ( after all chain suck is not an unusual event and I guess that this has caused most of the damage along with chain rattle against the stays)

ta James

artillerydave

I would be tempted to protect the area anyway, buy one of those lizard skins or hardcore your own with and old tube (usually the best option)

allthegearnoidea

i've added a coupl eof layers of extra resin to coat the chainstays on my carbon HT, much prefer it to chip away at that than the frame! but like you, did find some nasty looking marks on the stays close to the chain rings the other week!
cleane dup and a little extra resin applied and all seems to be okay!

ride_whenever

When I bought my silly little bike the previous guy had, in lieu of an old tube, wrapped some sort of tape, It is either cloth bar tape or handle tape for a tennis racket. It has worked really well and looks much better than an old bit of tube.

Chaka Ping

James - My pal has the same frame as you and his chain has gouged a an inch-long hole in the top of the chainstay - so that you can see inside.

He's ridden it for a year or two since I first noticed this, with no ill effects. I keep telling him it's a great excuse to buy a new bike - but to no avail.

GOLDGPR

You could try aircraft rotor blade tape this is really thick to stick on and protect that area.
try a shop called convertape on fleebay.

G

ride_whenever

I doubt copter tape would prevent this, you need something thicker and ideally rubbery

JamesB

Thanks all -- feel a lot more reassured about this now and doubt that the frame will now fall to bits; looking again it is probably just the top lacquer / resin layer damaged and it seems that others have a LOT worse